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Nine MoFo Lawyers Make Euromoney Women in Business Law 2021 Awards Shortlist

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Morrison & Foerster has once again been recognized by Euromoney Legal Media Group in its annual Americas Women in Business Law awards series as a top firm. MoFo has earned a spot on the shortlist in the Gender Diversity, Diversity,

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Morrison & Foerster has once again been recognized by Euromoney Legal Media Group in its annual Americas Women in Business Law awards series as a top firm. MoFo has earned a spot on the shortlist in the Gender Diversity, Diversity, Mentoring Programme, Work-life Balance, Women in Business Law, and Innovative international law firm categories, demonstrating the firm’s commitment to advancing gender diversity in the law.MoFo women attorneys have been shortlisted in numerous individual award categories, reflecting the excellence that our attorneys bring to their practices.Morrison & Foerster attorneys were shortlisted in the following categories:Practice Area Awards<ul><li>Financial Regulation Lawyer of the Year: Barbara Mendelson</li><li>Antitrust and Competition Lawyer of the Year: Bonnie Lau and Lisa Phelan</li><li>Labor & Employment Lawyer of the Year: Tritia Murata</li><li>Product Liability Lawyer of the Year: Erin Bosman</li><li>Technology Lawyer of the Year: Tessa Schwartz</li><li>White-Collar Crime Lawyer of the Year: Carrie Cohen</li></ul>Rising Star Awards<ul><li>Finance: Crystal Kaldjob</li><li>Litigation: Lauren Navarro</li></ul>View the <a href="https://awards.womeninbusinesslaw.com/Americas-shortlist#Firm-awards" target="_blank">full shortlist of nominees</a>.Morrison & Foerster has long championed the advancement of women within the legal profession, providing our clients with the best legal talent. Creating an inclusive culture that supports the growth and development of talented women lawyers is at the heart of our shared values and commitment. When our women succeed, we succeed as a firm.Learn more about <a href="/culture/women-of-mofo/">MoFo Women | Morrison & Foerster</a>.

Nine MoFo Lawyers Make Euromoney Women in Business Law 2021 Awards Shortlist

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Barbara Mendelson’s practice involves advising foreign and U.S. banks in a variety of complex regulatory matters, including sales and acquisitions of U.S. banking and nonbanking firms, Dodd-Frank Act issues, applications to federal and state bank regulators for expansion of activities and new products, Bank Secrecy Act and OFAC matters, and over-the-counter and exchange-based trading of various instruments and derivatives. She has represented foreign banks in their U.S. operations for more than 30 years. Barbara has also been instrumental in forming a number of commercial banks and other subsidiaries of foreign banks. In addition to her bank regulatory practice, Barbara works with sovereign entities and multilateral organizations with respect to the investment of their foreign currency reserves and other assets.Barbara has been recognized in the industry for her exceptional legal work, including being named by Crain’s New York Business as one of the <a href="https://www.crainsnewyork.com/awards/notable-women-law-2021" target="_blank" dir="ltr">Notable Women in Law</a> in both its 2021 and 2019 editions, and in 2020 she was named “Compliance Lawyer of the Year” by C5’s Women in Compliance Awards. She has also been selected as Euromoney Legal Media Group's <a href="http://www.mofo.com/resources/news/200917-mofo-recognized-euromoney-diversity.html">2020 Banking and Finance Attorney of the Year</a>, and was awarded “Best in Financial Services” in 2019 and 2017. Barbara was also awarded the "Lawyer of the Year" designation by Best Lawyers in America (2019 and 2013) in the category of Financial Services Regulation Law (New York City). In addition, she has been recommended by Chambers USA, Chambers Global, Legal 500 US, IFLR1000, Best Lawyers in America, and Who’s Who Legal: Banking. In their 2023 guide, Who’s Who Legal listed Barbara as a “Thought Leader” in their Global Banking Regulation Review, which features the world’s foremost banking regulatory lawyers who have obtained the largest number of nominations from peers, corporate counsel, and other market sources.She is a member of the New York City Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Barbara also serves as president of the board of trustees of Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City.

Barbara Mendelson

Partner

<div class="videoWrapper"><iframe class="sticky-video" allowfullscreen="1" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" frameborder="0" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Q0TTyb7UVt4?rel=0" title="Lisa M. Phelan" title="iframe"></iframe></div>Lisa Phelan, former Chief of the National Criminal Enforcement and Washington Criminal I Sections of the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), is a partner and co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s Global Antitrust Law Practice Group and a member of the Investigations + White Collar Group. With more than 25 years of service at the DOJ as one of the leading authorities in criminal antitrust matters, Lisa draws upon her unmatched criminal investigations, litigation, and enforcement experience to guide clients through sensitive issues pertaining to domestic and international cartel actions and white-collar investigations and to rapidly assess and address their risk and total exposure to potential claims of unlawful collusion.Clients turn to Lisa for her knowledge and understanding when subpoenaed or when enforcement agencies execute a search warrant or stage a dawn raid. Few have the breadth of her experience to counsel and represent clients through each step of a cartel investigation, leniency application, plea negotiation, or criminal jury trial. Additionally, Lisa is an expert in the components of effective compliance programs and is an asset to clients in preventing antitrust problems before they arise. She has led complex antitrust matters across numerous major industries, including financial services, technology, aviation, automotive, shipping, paper, petroleum, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, among others.As Chief of the National Criminal Enforcement and Washington Criminal I Sections of the Antitrust Division, Lisa supervised and coordinated all investigative and litigation work on international and national criminal cartel cases. Lisa regularly coordinated investigations and prosecutions with cartel enforcement agencies worldwide, including in the European Union, Japan, Mexico, Korea, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, and Brazil, among others. Additionally, she often interfaced with other law enforcement units when investigations raised non-antitrust issues.Before Lisa was appointed Chief of National Criminal Enforcement, she served as a senior criminal litigator in the Antitrust Division, leading investigations and trials of multinational corporations and their executives for price-fixing and related crimes. Lisa prosecuted more than 300 federal criminal cases and led and oversaw dozens of jury trials throughout her tenure at the DOJ.Lisa has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Presidential Rank Award, awarded by President Obama in 2015, the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, awarded by Attorney General Eric Holder in 2014; and, on multiple occasions, the Assistant Attorney General’s Outstanding Service Award, while serving as a lead trial attorney and a senior official at the DOJ.Law enforcement agencies and competition partners consult Lisa on best practices and policies in cartel enforcement and leniency programs. She has been frequently acknowledged for her insight and dexterity in the fields in which she practices. Recognitions include:<ul><li>“[Lisa’s] ability to distill information and come to solutions is amazing. We are lucky to be represented by her.” –Chambers USA, 2022 (Client Testimonial)</li><li>“[Lisa] is very knowledgeable on DOJ practices and policies.” –Chambers USA, 2022 (Client Testimonial)</li><li>“[Lisa] is excellent and gives well thought-out and practical advice.” –Chambers USA, 2021 (Client Testimonial)</li><li>“Lisa Phelan has three decades of experience as a DOJ attorney, including serving as Chief of the National Criminal Enforcement section of the Antitrust Division. She is prominent in the market and well-placed to advise clients on criminal cartel proceedings. Sources describe her as a 'fantastic lawyer,’ who ‘knows everything.’” –Chambers USA, 2020</li></ul>Lisa frequently speaks at American Bar Association (ABA), International Competition Network, International Bar Association, and various prominent white-collar crime conferences. She has been an active participant in ABA programs and activities for nearly three decades. Currently, she serves as co-chair of the Antitrust Section’s International Cartel Task Force, which regularly meets with competition agency heads from around the globe to provide thought leadership and to advise on competition law changes and practices, including leniency program criteria. She is also a leader on the Antitrust Section’s Influencer Task Force. Additionally, Lisa proposed and worked to establish the ABA Antitrust Section’s Women.Connected Committee.Lisa has long championed the advancement of women within the legal profession and in the Antitrust Bar in particular. Recognized by MLex as a “trailblazer” for women in antitrust, in recent years, she founded the “Women in Cartel” group, which has expanded its membership nationally and internationally. More than once, she has been named one of Global Competition Review’s Top “Women in Antitrust.” In addition, Lisa serves on the firm’s Women’s Strategy Committee, working closely with firm leaders to ensure that the advancement of women is a constant strategic priority. Lisa is a member of the Women’s White Collar Defense Association.Lisa received her J.D. magna cum laude from American University, Washington College of Law, where she served on the International Law Journal. She received her B.A. summa cum laude, also from American University. Lisa is an adjunct Professor at AU law school, teaching a seminar on Criminal Antitrust.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Represent a European executive indicted in the U.S. on a criminal Sherman Act charge of bid rigging on government contracts.</li><li>Represent a major national healthcare company investigated by DOJ’s Antitrust Division on allegations of criminal agreements not to hire or solicit employees from another major national healthcare company. Obtained a non-prosecution agreement from DOJ for the company and all of its executives.</li><li>Represent a large national health staffing company in multiple grand jury investigations around the U.S. for various alleged Sherman Act criminal violations. Obtained non-prosecution commitment from DOJ for the company and its executives in all matters.</li><li>Represent a major Japanese component parts maker subject to a grand jury investigation by DOJ. Obtained a non-prosecution decision for the company and its executives.</li><li>Represent a large national media company in meetings with DOJ regarding possible anticompetitive conduct.</li><li>Represent a major prescription services company under investigation by the FTC for possible monopolization and abuse of dominance violations.</li><li>Represent an oil and gas industry company under grand jury investigation by the Antitrust Division and obtained a non-prosecution decision from DOJ.</li><li>Represent numerous CEOs and high-level executives in numerous criminal antitrust grand jury investigations.</li></ul>

Lisa Phelan

Co-chair Global Antitrust Law Practice Group

Erin Bosman is the global co-chair of Morrison Foerster’s litigation department. Erin is also the founder and co-head of the Artificial Intelligence group and former chair of the Complex Litigation + Advisement practice group. Clients value her business strategy, seeking her comprehensive counsel throughout the product life cycle, especially in high-stakes litigation and product recalls.Erin's clients value her litigation acumen, retaining her as national coordinating and trial counsel in class action cases and multijurisdictional and multidistrict proceedings. She navigates complex business relationships and serves as a defense liaison counsel in cases where multiple defendants have conflicting defenses. A skilled negotiator, Erin has a long track record of securing dismissals and favorable settlements for her clients. When trial is needed, her compelling courtroom skills have delivered successful jury verdicts and appellate victories.Outside the courtroom, Erin maintains a robust advisement practice, drawing on her litigation experience to counsel clients on product development, risk assessments, product labeling, and risk mitigation strategies to help them avoid and defeat product liability claims. When necessary, Erin advises on crisis management and guides clients through product recalls, representing clients before the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).Erin is a problem-solver through and through. In that role, she advises clients on some of their most difficult product questions, with particular focus on emerging technologies in untested regulatory and litigation landscapes. She is a leader in the fields of wearables and digital health, medical device and pharmaceuticals, and consumer products. Erin counsels clients that have innovative products in the technology and artificial intelligence sector. In addition to her knowledge and experience in the AI space, Erin has also advised clients working with autonomous vehicles, sensors, robotics, and IoT.Erin has received numerous accolades for her legal work, including by the Daily Journal, Chambers USA, and The Legal 500 US, where market commentators praised her as “an exceptional strategist with highly effective negotiation skills” who “has the respect and admiration of her team and her clients.” Erin is a two-time recipient of  “Product Liability Lawyer of the Year” from Euromoney America’s Women in Business Law Awards, honoring high-achieving female lawyers and progressive law firms. In 2025, Erin was again recommended in Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions – Defendants by Best Lawyers in America. The Legal 500 continues to recognize Erin as a Leading Lawyer in Dispute Resolution: Product Liability, Mass Tort, and Class Action. She was also named as a “Top Healthcare Lawyer” by the Daily Journal, honoring her as a leading California lawyer who specializes in healthcare litigation, transactions, and counseling. Erin was also short listed in the Financial Times’ North American Innovative Lawyers Awards in the Most Innovative Legal Practitioner category for her expertise in solving clients’ problems.Erin is a member of the Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC), a member of the editorial board for Product Liability Law 360, and a former editor of and frequent contributor to MoFo’s <a target="_blank" href="http://classdismissed.mofo.com/">Class Dismissed</a> blog.<h5>More About Erin</h5>In 1997, Erin was a judicial extern for the Honorable James F. Stiven, U.S. Magistrate Judge, Southern District of California. In 1999, she received her J.D. magna cum laude and Order of the Coif from the University of San Diego School of Law. During law school, she was an editor of the San Diego Law Review.

Erin Bosman

Co-Chair, Litigation Department

Tessa Schwartz has an active practice counseling companies on intellectual property issues, and negotiating complex intellectual property and commercial agreements. She advises on a range of strategic transactions, including key patent licenses and acquisitions, technology procurement agreements, and complex development, collaboration, joint-venture and distribution deals. Tessa also regularly advises companies on the IP aspects of their M&A transactions.In addition to maintaining an active practice and working with clients on a daily basis, Tessa is founder and co-chair of the firm’s Artificial Intelligence Group and previously served as co-chair of the global Transactions Department. Tessa advises clients primarily in technology and data intensive sectors, representing artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, machine learning, software, SaaS, cloud computing, hardware, consumer electronics and products, social media, Internet, mobility and wireless, space and satellites, e-commerce, advertising, healthcare, fintech, transportation, semiconductor, and other companies. Tessa’s M&A experience includes advising Autodesk, BlackBerry, Fortive, Honeywell, Salesforce, Uber, Unilever, Unity, Walmart, and others on the IP aspects of strategic transactions. Tessa provides clients with prelitigation and litigation advice. She frequently advises executives and senior management on strategic business, legal and commercial issues, including the structuring of transactions, risk management and contract compliance. She also counsels clients with respect to a wide variety of IP issues, including patent exhaustion and implied licenses, standing and standards, the protection of data and other trade secrets and the development and distribution of open-source software.In addition to her transactional expertise, Tessa’s litigation background includes representing clients in arbitration, as well as in state and federal courts in such areas as antitrust, false advertising, unfair competition, breach of contract, securities, trademark, copyright and trade secret law. Her litigation experience includes complex, multidistrict and class action litigation, as well as appellate advocacy.Tessa has been ranked in Chambers and Legal 500, with clients describing her as, “one of the best attorneys I've ever worked with.” Tessa has been recognized by Chambers USA 2022 as being highly experienced in the field of technology and intellectual property transactions. Clients have commented on Tessa as having "...the ability to translate complex topics into what's necessary to get a deal done. She does a good job of making our technology accessible”. Further, Tessa "ticks all of the essential boxes, timely, efficient, knowledgeable and helpful, but she really stands out by taking time to learn our business and our products so she can give practical and actionable advice. Tessa helps us focus on key issues and balance risks to make choices."Tessa’s pro bono efforts have included work for The Biomimicry Institute, Goodwill, Common Sense Media, Business for Social Responsibility, The World Wildlife Fund, Build Change and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB). She also provides IP advice to a variety of cultural, media and arts organizations; and other assistance for nonprofits. She recently received the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services from the State Bar of California.Tessa received her B.A. magna cum laude from Harvard College in 1991. In 1996, she earned her J.D. from the University of California at Los Angeles, where she was elected to the Order of the Coif.Tessa served as global managing partner of Morrison Foerster from 2016 to 2022 and previously served as co-chair of the firm’s Technology Transactions Group.

Tessa Schwartz

Carrie H. Cohen is global co-chair of the Investigations + White Collar Defense practice group and the firm’s State + Local Government Enforcement team. Prior to joining the firm, Carrie served in the New York State Attorney General’s Office as Chief of the Public Integrity Bureau and an Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Bureau where she received the Louis J. Lefkowitz Memorial Award for outstanding service. Carrie also served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York (SDNY) where she prosecuted public corruption and securities matters, including obtaining the first trial conviction of former Speaker of the New York State Assembly Sheldon Silver.As a former state and federal prosecutor, Carrie routinely represents corporations, boards, and c-suite executives in government-facing investigative and regulatory matters with a particular focus on state and local government matters. Carrie’s extensive trial experience and distinguished record of success in high‑stakes, white collar defense matters cement her position as a leading lawyer who often is called upon as trial counsel for particularly sensitive matters. Carrie’s trial and white collar expertise have been recognized by a variety of organizations including Chambers USA, which describes her as “. . . a terrific trial lawyer with great judgment and timing, [who] knows how to present complex cases in a digestible way.” Carrie also routinely prepares clients who are called to testify before Congress and state and city legislatures and works on matters that involve multijurisdictional investigations and significant media attention. Carrie is a recognized industry expert in public corruption and state and local government actions. Carrie frequently is selected by government agencies to serve as independent counsel and issue public reports, which has included her appointment as Independent Monitor for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Special Counsel to the New York City Council, Special Independent Counsel to the City of Rochester, and Counsel to the California Attorney General’s Office (CA AG) as well as being part of the Monitorship Team appointed by DOJ for the global Odebrecht corruption matter. She also was appointed by Governor Kathy Hochul to the Metropolitan Transit Authority Inspector General’s Board and serves as its Acting Chair as well as having been appointed by the Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York as Counsel to the Court’s Grievance Committee. Carrie also is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, where she teaches a seminar on Public Corruption and the Law. Carrie serves on multiple bar committees and task forces as part of her effort to promote the rule of law. She was appointed Chair of the New York State Bar Association’s (NYSBA) Task Force on Domestic Terrorism and Hate Crimes and served as a member of the NYSBA Task Force on Wrongful Convictions. As a leader of the Bar, Carrie serves as a Vice President and Trustee of the Federal Bar Council and President of its Inn of Court and was appointed Co-Chair of the Federal-State Judicial Advisory Council as well as prior service as a Vice President of the New York City Bar, Chair of its Executive Committee, and member of its Nominating Committee. Carrie also is a member of the Board of Directors of Volunteers of Legal Service, an organization that provides pro bono legal services to the New York community, and was appointed by the SDNY to its Criminal Justice Act Panel to serve as counsel to indigent defendants in federal criminal cases. Carrie has long been dedicated to advancing women in the legal profession, both in the United States and globally. She co-chairs Morrison Foerster’s Women’s Strategy Committee, a group that works with firm leaders to ensure the advancement of women remains a strategic priority, and serves as a member of the New York City Bar’s Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, where she spearheads a professional development program for women lawyers in Latin America and South Africa. She is also a member of the Women’s Forum of New York and the Belizean Grove, both of which are by nomination only and are comprised of a diverse group of recognized women leaders in their respective fields.Carrie co-authored the acclaimed NYSBA report adopted by the American Bar Association “If Not Now, When? Achieving Equality for Women Attorneys in the Courtroom and in ADR” and the follow-up report “The Time is Now: Achieving Equality for Women Attorneys in the Courtroom and in ADR.” She serves on the Steering Committee of the When There Are Nine Scholarship Project, which she co-founded with other SDNY alumnae to honor the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg by providing law school scholarships and mentorship.<h4>Representative Experience</h4><ul><li>Government Appointments/Public Corruption. Appointments as independent counsel for federal, state, and local government agencies. Represents elected and appointed public officials, public entities, and individuals doing business with the government in a variety of public corruption-related matters with a focus on public-facing reports.</li><ul><li>Independent Monitor for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation related to workplace issues.</li><li>Special Independent Counsel to the New York City Council related to investigations of certain Council Members for misconduct and corruption.</li><li>Special Counsel to the MTA related to an examination of time, attendance, and overtime, which included presenting a report to the MTA Board.</li><li>Independent Counsel to the CA AG to conduct a review of its public release of confidential personal information associated with firearms permit holders and applicants, which included the preparation and release of a public report.</li><li>Service on the DOJ-appointed Monitorship Team for the global Odebrecht corruption matter.</li><li>Trial counsel for Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren for campaign finance charges; Hon. John A. Michalek for public corruption offenses; Hon. Sylvia Ash for obstruction of justice charges; County officials related to allegations of official misconduct and bid rigging.</li></ul><li>Financial Institutions/Securities Matters. Represents banks and other financial institutions in investigations of regulatory and consumer-related matters. Represents corporations and individuals in a variety of criminal investigations and regulatory matters involving federal and state securities laws.</li><li>Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). Represents corporations in FCPA investigations across industries and in numerous jurisdictions. Service on the DOJ-appointed Monitorship team in the criminal prosecution of Odebrecht.</li><li>Workplace Misconduct. Conducts investigations for corporations and boards related to workplace misconduct and #MeToo issues and provides related advocacy and legal advice.</li><li>Cybersecurity. Conducts investigations of cybersecurity incidents and represents companies in related government and regulatory matters concerning disclosure of data and privacy issues.</li><li>RICO/Civil Fraud/Commercial Litigation. Represents a wide variety of public and private corporations in civil fraud, RICO, and commercial litigation including at trial. Represented UPS at trial in SDNY in a case brought by the NYAG and the City of New York alleging illegal transportation of untaxed cigarettes.</li></ul>